The name "WASTELAND. The Atlas" presents a contradiction: it is clear that the wasteland can have no atlas. The wasteland by definition is an empty space unsuitable either for living or for geographical research. But the artist’s idea was to explore the obviously impersonal and empty space, to trace routs, to place landmarks.

"WASTELAND. The Atlas" consists of two complementary and at the same time independent parts. It is 70 etchings and 100 pages of the author's text. The etchings in this case act as geographical maps (no matter whether it is a map of the face or the area), and the text is a legend to the maps.

The texts are seven long letters addressed to “Beloved” living in Russia and to “Dearest friend”, the citizen of Europe. Thus, the messages are sent from the wasteland in both directions – to the West and to the East, both internally and outbound. The text deals with philosophical, historical, cultural problems of Russia in the context of the author’s personal biography and, thus, transforms the global problems into the personal or even intimate subject.

The rigid details, exact descriptions, personal judgement and the skill to go from one scale to another, from particular to the general, are typical for Kantor’s artistic and literary language. The details transform into images, the images - in the formula of the world outlook.

The series of etchings "WASTELAND. The Atlas" was completed in 2000, Kantor worked at it in Moscow. 70 plates were printed in one of the largest London print-studios in the amount of 75 copies.

The largest part of the print run is now in the museums and private collections including British Museum, London, Staedelsches Kunstinstitut und Staedelsche Galerie, Graphische Sammlung, Frankfurt am Main, Art museum of Milwaukee (USA), Ulster Museum, Belfast, State Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow.

In September – November 2001 the collection was exhibited in Staedelsches Kunstinstitut und Staedelsche Galerie, Graphische Sammlung, Frankfurt am Main, Culturgest Lissabon, State Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow.

The route of the exhibition goes via twelve museums of Russia (from Vladivostok to Kaliningrad), a number of famous museums of Europe and America.

The etching technique, from the point of view of the artist, is a European gesture, and the subsequent application of xylography is the tribute to the Eastern roots. Thus, the space of the sheet is representing a certain mixed technique – “Euroasian”.